Written by Kate
Office Manager at Golden Hinde
February 2026
What is a Chatelaine?
A chatelaine is a decorative belt hook or clasp, featuring several chains, worn at the waist to hold useful items. We have some beautiful chatelaines in our shop.
What were Chatelaines used for?
Traditionally Chatelaines were worn at the waist by the lady of the house and would hold a range of tools and accessories that she may need such as keys, scissors, magnifier glass, button hooks and often a watch to name a few. Chatelaine translates from French to ‘Lady of the Castle’ – essentially referring to the keeper of the keys.
The earliest chatelaines in recorded history can be traced back to the Romans, where a belt would be worn with chains to carry tweezers, nail cleaners and ear scoops – among other useful items. These were a symbol of status, often made from bronze and could feature an enamel decoration. Although the term Chatelaine was not used until the 19th century, history shows that the concept of a woman carrying essential and symbolic items on the waist was evidenced through history in the Middle Ages, Anglo-Saxon and Medieval England.
A history of Chatelaines
In the Middle Ages they would use a waist belt to carry practical items, usually made from leather they showed status and social rank. The main practicality was to hold tunics and dresses in place, but they would carry many personal items such as household tools and purses, they were also used to hold swords for the men showing that they were ready to fight at any moment.
In Anglo-Saxon times the belts were mainly made of Leather or weaved material, and they would often have a decorative plate to show wealth and power, they would hold many practical items such as tools as well as personal items. Leather pouches, knives and keys. Men would often hang weaponry to their belts such as a long sword, whereas women would wear the belt lower – on their hips – would wear girdle hangers as a sign of rank. Girdle hangers were symbolic and were often shaped like an elaborate key and showed the status of a woman in the household.
During the 16th and 17th century they evolved again being used mainly by housekeepers to show their authority over a household using the chatelaine to carry keys. Whereas the females of an Aristocratic families would where a ‘girdle’ which is a type of long belt to carry items such as mirrors, fans, pomanders and small prayer book – also known as girdle books – Such as the miniature prayer book rumoured to have belonged to Anne Boleyn, with a portrait of Henry VIII and is bound in gold and black enamel but may be from a later time, there is a debate to who actually ordered the book be this item can be seen in the British Library. A girdle belt was worn by both men and women.
Moving into the 18th century, Chatelaines again became more ornate and were often crafted in Gold or silver and used by both men and women, they would carry many different items almost like a Swiss army knife with items required to be used daily, such as a small knifes, scissors and often a watch.
The term ‘Chatelaine’ started to appear in the late 1820’s but became a major fashion accessory by the 1850’s it became more decorative and diversified to the Victorian chatelaine that you would recognise, it would carry keys, sewing tool a watch and other essential items and would often symbolise authority and status with the lady of the house or Housekeeper having more elaborate versions which would include the Keys to valuable areas.
When fashion styles changed and skirts were no longer full and long, they also fell out of favour with the introduction of wristwatches, the modern handbag, and the introduction of pockets in women’s clothing, so the need to store around the waist was no longer needed. Our Chatelaines, Needle cases, Thimble cages are now manufactured as Pendants
Modern Chateleines
Chatelaines are now often a metal casing for housing scissors on a chain, these and then be worn around the neck, our chatelaines are made of English Grade pewter and include a pair of small scissors they are great for any embroiderers. We stock many items that match or co-ordinate with your chatelaine including needle cases, and tools such as seam rippers and stilettos, you can add these items to a traditional chatelaine around your waist. This allows you to always have your tools to hand.
Fashion and chatelaines
Recently there has been another modern take on a Chatelaine by the French Fashion house Dior and their new creative director Jonathan Anderson’s Spring/summer 26 collection and these items have been showcased and seen for the first time in a photoshoot with Dior’s global ambassador Park Jimin – pictured below
Dior have used their signature florals within theire garments as well as their accessories where they have used sections of the classic chatelaine by creating floral accessories such as lily of the valley using thimbles, a snail using a thimble and tape measure as well as a fabulous bee which they have used scissor handles as the wings. This photoshoot with Vogue Korea very quickly went viral on social media with the items mentioned above being seen, discussed and compared very quickly to a chatelaine, as you can see from the picture above from the cover of Vogue Korea, they have styled many of the items together to give the overall look of a chatelaine. This was then being directly compared to the Victorian chatelaines that can be seen in the likes of the Victoria and Albert museum in London, in reality these items are just decorative items used as bag charms or brooches and not useable in the practical sense as a tool for an embroiderer.
Dior’s influence as one of the biggest fashion houses in the world have inadvertently brought the Chatelaine to the public’s attention, does this mean the Chatelaine will become the must have accessory for the upcoming years? Either as a decorative decoration or as practical items, will it become the must have accessory as it historically has been.
The designer items that Dior have created from their collection cost anywhere between £500-£1500 and add that luxurious and designer feel. However, if you want a beautiful and practical and aesthetic our range of chatelaines (scissors in a metal case) and embroidery tools, bringing in the historical touches with a Victorian feel, with tools that match or complement each other. Everything from floral designs to more traditional all inspired by the Victorian era. We have everything from seam rippers to stilettos, needle cases to thimble cages. All at an affordable cost, they make beautiful gifts and something that can be used a treasured forever.
Sources/references
Dior https://www.dior.com/en_gb
Vogue Korea https://www.vogue.co.kr/
British library https://www.bl.uk/
Victoria and Albert museum London https://www.vam.ac.uk/
Kate
Kate is the office Manager at Golden Hinde